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I am set to buy my first deer rifle. Background info--&gt; I am 6'6", will likely shoot at home up to 200 yards distance. Want a scope. Level land with some sparse housing limits shooting angles.

I am looking at new rifles and am impressed that they cost a lot. Have not ventured into used rifle shopping but have been warned by father in law that rifling can wear out. He says it can be tough to know if there is something wrong with a used piece.

I am reading library books and keeping an open mind. Any thoughts on new versus used and how to make this successful? Any other ideas???

I'm partial to a bolt action 30-06 since it is effective on every North American big game I may ever have the opportunity to hunt. My next choice would be a .270. I agree with the other poster regarding used rifles being fine. I wouldn't buy one that was rusty or really damaged stock....but I certainly wouldn't pay new price either.

My favorite deer rifle is a sporterized M96 6.5mm x 55mm Swedish Mauser. The barrel is only 20" long and it's very light. I would enjoy it fine with the standard chambering shooting Hornady light magnums or Eurospecs, but since I handload I rechambered it for 6.5mm Ackley improved. I have a 140 grain bullet going 3400 fps. A very sweet little, accurate, lightweight, light recoil, hard hitting, long shooting gun.

My second favorite is my .25-06. I've never seen a .25-06 that wasn't a tack driver and mine is way past that. It's a Ruger M77V with a heavy barrel and will shoot them all in the same hole at 100 yards. The only downsides are:

1. Much more recoil than the 6.5mm and less velocity.

2. Weighs twice as much as the sporterized 6.5mm.

3. Burns more powder than the 6.5mm

4. Not as many nice long (read sectional density and high ballistic coefficient) bullets available.

Both are wonderful deer rifles.

The best bargin I ever got on a really good deer rifle was a sporterized M93 7mm mauser with a scope for $100. Nice low recoil, accurate, light weight AND cheap.

My next choice would be a .260 Remington.

But in the end any good centerfire rifle from 6mm (.243) and up will do well if you sight it in and practice enough to be able to shoot it well.

You can handle any rifle between 308 and 300WM and any rifle in that range will have a two inch, (or less) drop at 200yds.

While the 300WM is a fine choice especially if you MAY go elk or griz hunting, you may not want that much recoil. My favorite is the 7mm Mag, flat shooter and will drop anything on this continent with less recoil than the 300. Still that may be too much for denser populated areas, I don't have that problem here.

I sell more 270, 308, and 243 ammunition than any other caliber during hunting season. 30-06, 7mm, and 25-06 after those. Whatever you pick, check the price and preformance of the amunition before making your choice. That "real deal" on the Weatherby will turn to sour grapes when you find the ammo is $79.99 per box.

If you are not a handloader, look into the Nosler balistic tip ammo, or the Partition Gold for heavier game. Most "meat hunters" (aka non-shooters) don't practice enough, mostly because of the price of ammunition, and wonder why they are not as succesful as they think they should be.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used handgun, but a rifle is a totally different story. Accuracy is measured in dollar signs, not only for the rifle itself but in the scope as well. High calibur shooters will spend as much for a scope as they will for a rifle. Hunters do not have to as the level of accuracy is a heart shot, a target the size of a saucer.

I buy and sell lots of used rifles, some of them I actully know the condition of and impart that information when I know it for a fact to the customer. Most used rifles are not taken proper care of. They are not broken in correctly nor are they cleaned as they should be, leaving heavy copper deposites in the barrel reducing the capabilities of the rifle. For myself, I will not buy a used rifle. I bought a used Leupold scope once that came with a rifle, but I promptly re-barreled the rifle and began the breaking in process anew.

There have been a lot of changes and new models coming out this year. Look into the Remingtons and CZ's for your best bang for the buck. (pun intended), ($550 - $700ish) Also look into the hunter series of scopes in the Leupold line. ($250ish) In the end, if you are starting out cold, rifle, scope, bases, rings, bore sighting, ammo, case, cleaning kit, and little range time will set you back about a grand, but you will know what you have.

Or you can find a used rifle with a knock around scope for 3 or 4 bills and call it good. Buyer beware.

A question I would like to hear is where you hunt..... that is....... Is it heavily wooded? Open plains.

I got 4 deer last year and not one was over 50 yards. My scoped gun gathers dust for the most part. I hunt shelter belts or we push to a poster.

If you are hunting in "close" conditions a scope is not needed and in fact is a hassle and can cost you a quick close shot.

Do you have a decent shotgun? Fully rifled barrels are available for most popular guns and are deadly in closer ranges (up to 150 yards and more). Do not confuse them with old slug guns as these fully rifled barrels with sabots are plenty accurate for whitetail.

&gt;A question I would like to hear is where you hunt..... that is....... Is it heavily wooded? Open plains.

Heavily wooded in Kansas? Uh, well, it could happen, I guess down in the SE corner, even maybe up by KC. I am in the Flint Hills. Gently rolling prarie with treed ravines and creeks. I usualy have oppertunities from 75 to 375 yards. I don't try anything out farther than that even though the rifle is capable, it's just not necessary to risk maming an animal. If I can't drop it with a clean sure shot I don't take it.

I got 4 deer last year and not one was over 50 yards. My scoped gun gathers dust for the most part. I hunt shelter belts or we push to a poster.

That is a different type of hunting than I am used too.

&gt;If you are hunting in "close" conditions a scope is not needed and in fact is a hassle and can cost you a quick close shot.

I had a close shot once with my 7. I was terribly sick but promised my brother to hunt with him. Well I was quite pleased with the idea that I could return to the fireplace and my bottle of Hot **** IF I plugged the buck that walked up to the other side of the cedar tree I was standing by. You are absolutly right, I did not need that scope at eight foot.

&gt;Do you have a decent shotgun? Fully rifled barrels are available for most popular guns and are deadly in closer ranges (up to 150 yards and more). Do not confuse them with old slug guns as these fully rifled barrels with sabots are plenty accurate for whitetail.

DO I HAVE A DECENT SHOTGUN? Now really!

Yes I do, but they are not very useful for deer hunting in our area. For clsoe quarter hunting and stalking, I would rather use a revolver.

Nursebee,
I have a variety of rifles. Not trying to sell them but they are for sale. 7mm mag, 300 mag and a "close" gun, a .35 lever action. (the saddle gun used in most westerns.) I also have a Mossberg 12 with a rifled barrel. For anything up to 150 yards, you don't need anything else. Longer than that is a problem with any gun. (I know, a lot of arguements here guys, but save them.) I was amazed at the accuracy of the slugs made for this weapon. The last I knew the barrels were a little more than $100. They come with a scope mount welded on them. State forests here in Ct. won't allow rifles of any kind. The kick is different when you are holding on a target. This would give you a chance to see if you want that much kick in your hunting. With a manum 3" shotgun load, the 2 big rifles and the shotgun all hurt a little, but about the same. I've been a bowhunter for 10 years.

"With a manum 3" shotgun load, the 2 big rifles and the shotgun all hurt a little, but about the same."
when at the bench!

I can honestly say that I have never felt recoil
when hunting. I know it went off but I never felt a thing. Also when shooting from a bench I always lose sight of the target, when hunting the scene says crystal clear even during recoil.
Mind power I guess. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I like the big bores, 375H&H and up!

When you are bagged tight behind a rifle on a bench you will feel more recoil simply because you are sitting solid. When hunting, and usually during the winter with extra clothing (padding), you are normally standing upright, kneeling, or braced against a tree, post, etc. When the gun fires you are free to rock back with the recoil, asorbing little of it. Couple that with the excitement of the hunt and you are likely to miss the recoil alltogether, a good thing.

Remember, the heavier the rifle, the lighter the bullet, the less the recoil. Unfortunatly, packin that Rem Sendero in the mountains is less than fun.

&gt;Any thoughts on buying from mass merchant (Mall-wart) or local small shop?

Yeah, I send all my customers to Wally-World
Truthfully, what you get when you buy from a small shop is the expertise of the staff. Their knowledge to guide you into what is right for you, and their ability to help you with your problems. That is what you pay a little extra for. The staff at the Mart Marts do not have the ability to special order the right parts for you, and do not have the knowledge to guide you in the right direction.

I would recomend a small shop for sure! Especially if you are picking up a used rifle. They will have inspected the bore and will usually stand behind the rifle.

That Mossberg will make a fine deer gun. The reason they say do not use slugs is specific to the barrel it comes with. You need to get a fully rifled slug barrel. It will have rifle sights on the tip and when installed you will be deadly.